Lacunae in the effective state regulation of corporate advertisements

Democracy in a capitalist world entails a structure of liberalised trade and a 'free market'. However, it is often to be found that the state machinery is compelled by structural and practical obligations to give in to the sway of corporate entities. Advertisements aimed at children, targeting their lunchboxes, drive them away from nutritious, healthy food habits, quite against their own interest. The state, due to compulsions of electoral financing from the corporate entities, fails to regulate such practices, even though they are evidently against the interest of the vulnerable age group. The dilemma of democracy in juxtaposition with a free trade regime is the focus of this paper.

Keywords: corporate advertisements, state regulation, democracy, children, Television without Frontiers Directive, TVwFD, India, free trade, healthy eating